DESIGNING COURSES for SIGNIFICANT LEARNING Workshop by: L. Dee Fink, Ph.D. Educational Consultant in Higher Education Author: Creating Significant Learning Experiences This worked well for a 1.5 hr presentation. BYU-Idaho April 16, 2012

3 FEATURES OF A HIGH QUALITY LEARNING EXPERIENCE During Course/College: After College: End of course 3. The learning: ADDS VALUE 1. Students are: ENGAGED 2. Student effort results in: SIGNIFICANT & LASTING LEARNING

FUNDAMENTAL TASKS OF TEACHING Knowledge of the Subject Matter Interacting with Students Designing Learning Experiences Managing the Course Beginning of the Course

Question: What are some common problems you encounter in your teaching?

THREE COMMON PROBLEMS: Lack of Interest: “Students are bored with my class and lose interest quickly.” Poor Preparation: “Students don’t do the assigned readings before class.” Poor Retention of Learning: “Students do well on the test, but on the next test or in the next course, they seem to forget everything they learned earlier.”

Lack of Interest 2. Use more material from “cutting edge” research. 1. Enhance the teacher’s lecturing skills. 2. Use more material from “cutting edge” research. 3. Re-design the course to replace lecturing with more active learning.

Poor Student Preparation 1. Assign more severe penalties for not doing the readings beforehand. 2. Give students a pep talk. 3. Re-design the course to give students a reason to do the readings.

Poor Retention of Learning 1. Make the tests better (or tougher) 2. Require students to complete a refresher course 3. Re-design the course to give students more experience with using what they have learned

3 Ways of Designing Courses: “List of Topics” “List of Activities” Need a way of designing courses that is: Systematic Integrated Learning-Centered

Integrated Course Design: OVERVIEW

INTEGRATED COURSE DESIGN: Key Components Learning Goals Feedback & Assessment Teaching & Learning Activities S i t u a t i o n a l F a c t o r s

Criteria of “GOOD” Course Design Significant Learning Learning Goals Integration Teaching and Learning Activities Feedback & Assessment Active Learning Educative Assessment S I T U A T I O N A L F A C T O R S In-Depth Situational Analysis

Readiness Assessment Test (RAT)

# of SCRATCHES: # of POINTS: 1 - - - - 4 2 - - - - 2 3 - - - - 1 4 - - - - 0

Integrated Course Design: SITUATIONAL FACTORS

Criteria of “GOOD” Course Design Significant Learning Learning Goals Integration Teaching and Learning Activities Feedback & Assessment Active Learning Educative Assessment S I T U A T I O N A L F A C T O R S In-Depth Situational Analysis

Situational Factors: Collecting information about… Specific Context Expectations by people outside the course Nature of the Subject Nature of Students Nature of Teacher

Situational Factors Specific Context of the Teaching/Learning Situation Number of students Level of course Time structure Delivery: Live – Hybrid – Online Expectations of Others: What expectations are placed on this course or curriculum by: Society? The University, College and/or the Department? The Profession?

Characteristics of the Learners Nature of the Subject Primarily theoretical, practical, or some combination? Convergent or divergent? Important changes or controversies occurring? Characteristics of the Learners Their life situation (e.g., working, family, professional goals)? Their prior knowledge, experiences, and initial feelings? Their learning goals, expectations, and preferred learning styles?

Characteristics of the Teacher(s) My beliefs and values about teaching and learning? My attitude toward: the subject, students? My teaching skills? My level of knowledge or familiarity with this subject?

Criteria of “GOOD” Course Design Significant Learning Learning Goals Integration Teaching and Learning Activities Feedback & Assessment Active Learning Educative Assessment S I T U A T I O N A L F A C T O R S In-Depth Situational Analysis

Integrated Course Design: LEARNING GOALS

Criteria of “GOOD” Course Design Significant Learning Learning Goals Integration Teaching and Learning Activities Feedback & Assessment Active Learning Educative Assessment S I T U A T I O N A L F A C T O R S In-Depth Situational Analysis

FACULTY DREAMS If you had a class that could and would learn anything and everything you wanted them to learn: In your “Dream of Dreams,” what is it that you would really like them to learn?

Taxonomy of Significant Learning

Taxonomy of Significant Learning Caring Developing new… Feelings Interests Values Learning How to Learn Becoming a better student Inquiring about a subject Self-directing learners Human Dimensions Learning about: Oneself Others Integration Connecting: Ideas People Realms of life Foundational Knowledge Understanding and remembering: Information Application Skills Thinking: Critical, Creative, & Practical Managing projects

Understand and remember the key concepts, terms, relationship, etc. In a course with significant learning, students will: Understand and remember the key concepts, terms, relationship, etc. Know how to use the content. Be able to relate this subject to other subjects. Understand the personal and social implications of knowing about this subject. Value this subject and further learning about it. Know how to keep on learning about this subject, after the course is over.

Writing Significant Learning Goals for Your Course For one of your own courses: Write learning goals for Integration in the Taxonomy of Significant Learning. Preface: “By the end of the course, my hope is that students will be able to….” Suggestions: Pay close attention to your VERBS High “Visibility” Index

Criteria of “GOOD” Course Design Significant Learning Learning Goals Integration Teaching and Learning Activities Feedback & Assessment Active Learning Educative Assessment S I T U A T I O N A L F A C T O R S In-Depth Situational Analysis

Integrated Course Design: FEEDBACK & ASSESSMENT

Criteria of “GOOD” Course Design Significant Learning Learning Goals Integration Teaching and Learning Activities Feedback & Assessment Active Learning Educative Assessment S I T U A T I O N A L F A C T O R S In-Depth Situational Analysis

3-COLUMN TABLE: 1. 2. 3. Integration: 4. 5. 6. Learning Goals: Assessment Activities: Learning Activities: 1. 2. 3. Integration: 4. 5. 6.

Feedback and Assessment: “EDUCATIVE ASSESSMENT” Forward-Looking Assessment Self-Assessment Criteria and Standards “FIDeLity” Feedback

Feedback and Assessment: “EDUCATIVE ASSESSMENT” Important Learning Forward-Looking Assessment Task Criteria and Standards Self-Assessment Feedback

“FIDeLity Feedback” F = Frequent I = Immediate D = Discriminating (based on criteria and standards) L = Feedback given in a Loving or supportive way

Integrated Course Design: LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Criteria of “GOOD” Course Design Significant Learning Learning Goals Integration Teaching and Learning Activities Feedback & Assessment Active Learning Educative Assessment S I T U A T I O N A L F A C T O R S In-Depth Situational Analysis

3-COLUMN TABLE: 1. 2. 3. Integration: xxxxx ???? 4. 5. 6. Learning Goals: Assessment Activities: Learning Activities: 1. 2. 3. Integration: xxxxx ???? 4. 5. 6.

A MODEL OF ACTIVE LEARNING (The Basic Version)

Holistic Active Learning Experience Doing, Observing Actual, Simulated “Rich Learning Experiences” Reflection About the… Subject Learning Process Via: Journaling, Learning Portfolios Information & Ideas Primary/Secondary In-class, out-of-class, online

Multiple Activities that Promote ACTIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE REFLECTIVE DIALOGUE, with: GETTING INFORMATION & IDEAS "Doing" "Observing" Self Others DIRECT · Original data sources Real Doing, in authentic settings Direct observation of phenomena Reflective thinking Journaling Live dialogue (in or out of class) INDIRECT, VICARIOUS Secondary data and · Case · Stories studies (can be · Gaming, accessed Simulations via: film, Lectures, literature, textbooks · Role play oral history) · Course · Teacher can assign students · Students can reflect, website to "directly experience" … and then engage in ONLINE various kinds of · Internet · Students can engage in dialogue online. "indirect" kinds of experience online

HOLISTIC ACTIVE LEARNING: A Case Study In a course on “Leadership for Engineers,” the teacher does the following: Begins the course by asking students to think about what leadership means to them, individually and then collectively. Then the class reads a book or case study about people in leadership positions (e.g., Abraham Lincoln). Following this, they re-visit the central question of “What constitutes leadership”? and revise their earlier definition accordingly. This sequence is repeated throughout the course: students read something – revisit the central question – read something new – revisit the central question – etc.

Question #1: Which of the three components of holistic active learning does this course include – as described above? (More than one component is possible) 1. Information and Ideas 2. Experience 3. Reflection Question #2: How might you strengthen the “Experiential” component?

Criteria of “GOOD” Course Design Significant Learning Learning Goals Integration Teaching and Learning Activities Feedback & Assessment Active Learning Educative Assessment S I T U A T I O N A L F A C T O R S In-Depth Situational Analysis 49

Integrated Course Design: INTEGRATION

Criteria of “GOOD” Course Design Significant Learning Learning Goals Integration Teaching and Learning Activities Feedback & Assessment Active Learning Educative Assessment S I T U A T I O N A L F A C T O R S In-Depth Situational Analysis

INTEGRATING THE COURSE 3-Column Table Weekly Schedule Teaching Strategy Culminating Project String of Activities

INTEGRATING THE COURSE 3-Column Table Weekly Schedule Teaching Strategy Culminating Project String of Activities

3-COLUMN TABLE: Learning Goals: Assessment Activities: Learning Activities: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

INTEGRATING THE COURSE 3-Column Table Weekly Schedule Teaching Strategy Culminating Project String of Activities

3-COLUMN TABLE: 1. Foundational Knowledge Application Integration Learning Goals: Assessment Activities: Learning Activities: 1. Foundational Knowledge Application Integration 4. Human Dimension 5. Caring 6. How to Keep on Learning

Week #: Mon Wed Fri 1 2 3 4 .. 12 13 14 15

INTEGRATING THE COURSE 3-Column Table Weekly Schedule Teaching Strategy Culminating Project String of Activities

A particular COMBINATION of learning activities… TEACHING STRATEGY: A particular COMBINATION of learning activities… arranged in a particular SEQUENCE Two Examples: Problem-based learning Team-based learning

“CASTLE-TOP” DIAGRAM: A Tool for Identifying Your TEACHING STRATEGY Mon Wed Fri Mon Wed Fri In-Class Activities: ? Assessm’t & Feedback Out-of-Class

TEACHING STRATEGIES QUESTION: This strategy creates a high likelihood that most students will… Be exposed to the content. Understand the content. Be able to use the content. Value the content.

TEACHING STRATEGIES QUESTION: This strategy creates a high likelihood that most students will… Be exposed to the content. Understand the content. Be able to use the content. Value the content.

INTEGRATING THE COURSE 3-Column Table Weekly Schedule Teaching Strategy Culminating Project String of Activities

INTEGRATED COURSE DESIGN Model of: INTEGRATED COURSE DESIGN Learning Goals Feedback & Assessment Teaching & Learning Activities S i t u a t i o n a l F a c t o r s

- - - - - -> - - - - - -> - - - -> Learning ACHIEVED Learning IMAGINED - - - - - -> - - - - - -> - - - -> Learning ACHIEVED 4 1 Learning Goals Xxx xxx Week: Mon Wed Fri 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 5 2 Learning Goals Ass’m’t Activ. LearningActiv. Xxx 2. Xxx 3. Xxx 4. Xxx 5. Xxx 6. Xxx 3 3-Column Table Weekly Schedule

Integrated Course Design: DOES IT WORK?

DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? Case #1 Jane Connor, SUNY-Binghamton Course: Multi-Cultural Psychology Primary Learning Goal: To help students learn about – and learn how to interact with – people who are different from themselves

COURSE DESIGN FEATURES: CONTENT: Used Readiness Assurance Process from TBL STORIES: Had speakers come in (students, people from community) REFLECTIONS: Both before and after readings; before and after stories RICH LEARNING EXPERIENCE: For a 4-week period, students had to put themselves in contact with someone different from themselves – preferably someone (or group with whom they were uncomfortable)

RESULTS? Students did the readings – and understood them. As a result of the “strategy” (readings + dialogue with others + special experiences + multiple reflections): Students reported, almost to a person, that this course “transformed” them. Teacher won the university’s primary teaching award. Dean of Student Affairs: 11 of 16 students said this was “the most valuable course in their whole college experience.”

Does It Make a Difference? Case #2 Bill Weeks, University of Missouri at Rolla Course: Coding in Computer Science Small class (18 students), traditional time structure (M-W-F) Initially: Lecture + homework Results: Students overwhelmed by complexity of the math – frustration – apathy – low course evaluations

Changes Made: 1. Completely re-wrote his learning goals: (examples) For a given communication channel, students will be able to compute the maximum rate of reliable transmission Students will learn how to work effectively in a group setting. Students will be able to direct their own learning in relation to understanding, designing, and evaluating new codes. 2. New teaching strategy: Used TBL 3. Used reflective writing: Learning portfolios 4. Oral presentations 5. Had students re-submit their homework

RESULTS: Students did the readings, and did as well as before on exams of Foundational Knowledge. TEACHER: “…drastic improvement in student morale…They worked harder – and reported enjoying it more.” STUDENTS: …an interesting learning experience I will never forget…provided me with knowledge to carry out independent study. I enjoyed this course to the fullest…course was entertaining and at the same time enlightening.

TEACHER’S REACTION: “Teaching such an excited group of students was an unforgettable experience. It made my job seem worthwhile and very fulfilling. I will be feeding off that student excitement for years.”

RESOURCES FOR FURTHER LEARNING: Print Resources Website: www.designlearning.org Each Other Your Dreams

THE END! Higher Education: Let’s make it all that it can be and needs to be!

THE END! ?? Higher Education: Let’s make it all that it can be and needs to be!

OR, A NEW START? Teaching for the 21st Century . . .